Goffstown school board sets warrant articles

By KATHY REMILLARDUnion Leader Correspondent

GOFFSTOWN - The school board Monday finalized articles that will appear on the school district warrant in March, including its operating budget and plans for $14.5 million in elementary school improvements.

If voters approve the school district's operating budget and the bond request for the elementary school renovations, they can expect a property tax increase of about $1.23 per thousand dollars of assessed property value, or about $270 on a $220,000 home.

The tax impact each year of the remainder of the bond is expected to be 71 cents, in addition to any future increases in operating budgets.

Article 2 seeks voter approval for the $14.5 million bond that will add classroom space to Bartlett and Maple Avenue Elementary Schools, which was recommended by the Budget Committee by a vote of 11-3.

Article 3 on the school warrant is the district's operating budget of $37,311,381, which was a revised budget of the Budget Committee, and adopted by the board.

The default budget was set at $36,616,091, about $600,000 less than the proposed operating budget.

According to SAU 19 Business Administrator Ray Labore, the tax impact on the default budget is about 73 cents per thousand, or about $160 on a $220,000 home.

Article 4 asks voters to decide if the school board should elect to retain up to 2.5 percent of unassigned general funds to use as a revenue source for emergencies.

"I think it's a great idea, I'd love to see it pass, but I'm not sure this is the right way to do it," said board member Keith Allard.